He never knew
by gracieTpie
Summary: AU-He never knew about the hunger that would knaw at her stomach, and the bloody gashes on her back from the belt. Jack never knew and he regretted it-Jackunzel Oneshot-WARNING MENTIONS OF ABUSE!


AU-He never knew-Jackunzel Oneshot

 **WARNING! THIS ONESHOT HAD MENTIONS OF ABUSE! IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT STUFF, EVEN THOUGH NO VIOLENCE IS DESCRIBED, PLEASE DON'T READ THIS!**

 **I don't want anyone to be scared or get nightmares because of me, that's all, so please :-)**

 **Now that's over, on with the story!**

He never knew what Rapunzel was like, at first.

She was the new, weird kid in their school, who would sit at the back of the classroom and constantly hide behind her long, blonde hair. With emerald green eyes and a simple, hand made satchel, overflowing with paper and pens and paints galore. She was shy, and just seemed to disappear into the flowing crowd of blue and black uniform if you even managed to follow her as she shot out the classroom.

But, sweet. Like caramel. Yeah, like caramel.

He never knew how kind she was, until she helped him with his homework when he hadn't done it. She just sat down, floating almost, got out her book and pushed it towards him to copy.

Ok, so she let him copy her homework but that's even nicer.

He never knew how talented and artsy she was, but then he saw her doodles and her paintings and thought _wow._ They where often of lights, he noted, lanterns, and spirally suns and a little chameleon named Pascal.

He didn't know how selfless she was, giving him her sandwich when he had his lunch stolen that day, even though she was being starved at home but couldn't bare the thought of her friend going hungry.

He only realised it know, sat by her frail body in the hospital, the faint beeping sound coming from the monitor that was the only reminder she was alive.

He never knew the hunger she felt as he wolfed down his lunch, _her_ lunch which she had had to steal a pennies and save behind her Mothers back, the only food that she would get that day, and he regretted it.

Or that time in Games, when it was raining and they where all forced into the gym, and she couldn't wear her skins. Bruises, cuts, burns, they littered her body like intricate patterns but as she blushed and hid her arms behind her back, he didn't question them. No one did, not even their feared teacher and deputy head Mr Black, but he was her friend, and should have been there for her. Even if most of the girls had little bruises on their legs, and her tops sleeves covered half her arms so not all her injuries could be seen, and it may have looked like he liked her (which he didn't, right?) he should have asked and he regretted it.

And the time he asked her to the movies with Hiccup and Merida, that was the worse. Because she had told him her Mother didn't like it, that she was supposed to be home as soon as school ended, and she wasn't supposed to have friends or have fun with them. She wasn't allowed to have, or want, because that was selfish when she had a home and a Mother.

"And God," Rapunzel had said wistfully, "but Mother doesn't believe in that 'rubbish' and said I should stop sticking my head in clouds."

But it just made him more determind to let her have some fun, and he persuaded her to go with them to see _Star Wars._ It was great, fantastic, and he was sure Rapunzel had enjoyed it too.

The next day though, she wasn't at school.

And the next.

And the next.

It was worrying, no, it was more than worrying it was _terrifying._ He had never been so scared in his life, scared for his friend, for anyone really. He, Hiccup and Merida, the following Saturday, running to where she lived in the poor outskirts of the town, banging their glove covered fists on the door to find apparently no one at home. They wouldn't take no for an answer though, so they knocked it down.

The smell hit him first. It smelled of blood, and fire, and in that instant he found himself sprinting upstairs, his heart pumping fast and the adrenaline flowing around his body while his two friends tried to put out the raging flames that where burning in the kitchen. The fire only grew bigger though, licking up the rusty oven and the bare, wooden cupboards and soon gulping the whole room like a hungry monster. He wished to help them as they clutched each other, hand in hand, desperately trying to kill it, but he had to find Rapunzel.

There where only three small rooms-the bathroom tiles falling off and Rapunzels 'Mothers' room completely empty of belongings except a single bed. He gritted his teeth;she had done a runner.

It only left one room, and as he burst in he saw her unconscious, laying on the floor. There was a gash on her head, surrounded by a bluey - purple bruise, and her lovely hair stuck to it with sweat. Her clothes tattered, her body surrounded by blood and tears. He spotted a red covered pen knife, like it had just been dipped in ketchup, a belt and a dagger. The dagger, fortunately, seemed to have not been used.

He picked up her skinny frame, afraid he would just snap her weak bones, gazing over the fresh wounds. As he carried her and walked as fast as he could without hurting the angel, _his_ angel, she slowly opened her eyes and whispered.

 _"Jack..."_

"Punzie! It's gonna be alright, it's gonna be alright, I promise...

* * *

They survived, somehow, calling an ambulance along with the police to deal with the situation. The house, did not though, and the fire service had to come to so they could stop the flames from claiming anymore of the attached houses. They said the would wait until later to confirm her Mother, or 'Gothel' as she was known with the police, to have run off and let Rapunzel to burn, but it was already pretty evident.

Jack couldn't help but snarl when a nurse came to take Rapunzel off him, but he had to give her up eventually if she had a chance of survival. A police officer, sensing something was wrong, kindly asked if the three friends would like a ride to the hospital. They quickly agreed.

So now, they where there. Merida and Hiccup sat on two chairs in the corner of her room, small talking to the nurse who looked after her. Jack sat on one right next to her bed, holding her pale hand and muttering to her.

He drew circles with his thumb on her palm, worried. In fact, it was like de jâ vu again, he was more than worried he was _terrified._ Angry, at her Mother for running off, away from the problem and disgusted that someone would do such a thing to their daughter, but terrified for Rapunzel.

Because the doctors said she might not make it.

Jack never knew about the starvation and the pain. He never knew what the belt felt like on your bare skin, or being slapped for mumbling and punished for slouching.

Jack never knew about the abuse Rapunzel was going through, and he regretted it.

But all he could do now wait.

THE END

 **Hey guys, I know this Oneshot was quite sad and might have been scary, and I'm sorry if anyone was frightened by it. Please don't be, this story is fiction but many children's tales are similar to these due to the abuse in their lives. If you are abused, or know someone who is, don't be afraid to tell someone. That is the best thing to do, even if you promised not tell anyone.**

 **To my readers who usually find me writing Teen Titans things, you will have noticed I have also written a little bit for Gravity Falls as well and this is because I want to branch out a little more. I know, I actually like things other than Teen Titans and Star Wars!**

 **And to viewers who saw this in the Rise of the Guardians and Tangled crossover, please make sure to follow, favourite and check out my other stories. And remember-you are never at fault if you are being hurt by someone! You haven't done anything wrong and have the right to tell someone and sort it out.**

 **Lots of love, Grass X**


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